


A Day Wasted

by edgarallanrose



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Universe, M/M, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 14:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18412322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edgarallanrose/pseuds/edgarallanrose
Summary: “Merlin,” he sighed. “I thought you might be pleased I decided to stay.”“I’m not…displeased.”“Yes, you are.” Arthur looked at him long and hard for several seconds before his eyes widened in understanding. “You wanted your own day off, didn’t you?”Merlin pursed his lips. “The thought did cross my mind, yes.”“What if I told you,” Arthur said, tugging Merlin closer, “I intend for both of us to shirk our duties today. Perhaps, I have other plans.”





	A Day Wasted

**Author's Note:**

> Originally a prompt from [this post](http://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/post/183805154390/angstfluff-prompt-list) where I asked for people to send me one of the dialogue prompts and a ship. pieplease asked: IF UR STILL TAKING PROMPTS 15,8 merthur :DDD ✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️♥️♥️ -ur biggest fan
> 
> 15\. “Shouldn’t you be with him/her?”  
> 8\. “I’m never letting you go.”

Merlin hummed to himself as he filled his satchel with the daily medicinal deliveries. Then he sang words to a festival song he only half knew under his breath as he snatched a heel of bread off the table, throwing the satchel over his shoulder and hastily combing through his hair with his fingers.

Gaius looked on with his permanently raised eyebrow.

“Dare I ask what has you so cheerful this morning?”

“Day off!” Merlin said through a mouthful of bread. “Well, once I’ve finished these deliveries. And swept Arthur’s chambers. And sorted his linens. Then it’s my day off!”

“Arthur has dismissed you for the day?”

“He’s joined his father’s party for that treaty signing in Evorwick. Which means I have an afternoon to myself. I could go for a walk. I could practice my magic. I could—”

“Assist me with my rounds?” Gaius suggested.

“Oh, er, I suppose—”

Gaius’ face softened. “Enjoy your day, Merlin. But do please return this evening.”

“Yes, yes of course. Thanks Gaius!”

Merlin traipsed his way through the lower towns and the citadel before returning to the castle, happily in his own little world, forming his plans for the day.

Since Arthur was gone, he could use magic, and his chores would be completed in no time at all. Maybe he could even attend the fair in the neighboring town. _Maybe_ he could even nap in the middle of the day.

 _What would that be like_ , he wondered.

He opened the door to Arthur’s chamber’s and set his bag down on the table, so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice he was not alone until there was the sound of a throat clearing from the corner.

Merlin whipped around, only to see Arthur standing by his wardrobe attempting to put a shirt on by himself, his arms tangled in the sleeves.

“I was wondering when you were going to bother showing up,” Arthur said.

“Arthur! What…or, why are you here?”

“These are my chambers, Merlin. You may recognize them from the past several years you have attended to me in them.”

“No, I mean, I thought you were leaving today.”

“My father is leaving to sign the treaty in Evorwick.”

“Shouldn’t you be with him?”

“Managed to skive off,” Arthur said with a grin. “I thought I deserved a day without duties.”

Merlin’s face fell. “Of course you did.”

“Now, if you don’t mind,” Arthur said, lifting his hopelessly tangled arms.

Merlin rolled his eyes, which drew a laugh out of Arthur. Merlin tugged the shirt off and sorted out the sleeves, arranging it on his arms so he could dress Arthur properly.

“You seemed awfully happy when you came in here,” Arthur mumbled through the fabric as Merlin pulled the shirt over his head. “What were you singing about?”

“Oh, nothing. Just had a song stuck in my head when I woke up. That’s all.”

“You’re not singing it now.”

“Would you like me to, sire?”

“Not especially, no.”

Merin adjusted the ties on Arthur’s shirt and turned toward the wardrobe to fetch his jacket, but Arthur caught him by the wrist.

“ _Mer_ lin,” he sighed. “I thought you might be pleased I decided to stay.”

This had not actually occurred to Merlin, that Arthur would have him in mind when making his choices. Merlin was expected to always be at his side, a job title which he did wear with some pride now, but he never really thought about whether Arthur wanted him there or not. Or that he would choose to spend time with him rather than be somewhere else. Confused, Merlin chose his next words carefully.

“I’m not…displeased.”

“Yes, you are.” Arthur looked at him long and hard for several seconds before his eyes widened in understanding. “You wanted your own day off, didn’t you?”

Merlin pursed his lips. “The thought did cross my mind, yes.”

“What if I told you,” Arthur said, tugging Merlin closer, “I intend for both of us to shirk our duties today. Perhaps, I have other plans.”

Merlin smiled. “I might ask what those plans were, sire.”

“Here’s what we’re going to do today,” Arthur said. Merlin let Arthur steer him backwards until his back met the bedpost. Arthur leaned in close, gazing at Merlin with bright eyes. “I am going to lock the door, you are going to get on my bed, and we are going to stay in here until I decide we’re done.”

Oh. _Oh._ It wasn’t often that they were able to explore this tentative, unspoken, and very forbidden thing between them. Arthur was hardly ever so forward, though Merlin was constantly provoking and dropping hints about their mutual desire. They admired each other, and they trusted each other, and it certainly didn’t hurt that Arthur had hair that looked like sunlight and the face of a roman god.

And to think about doing this, doing _things_ , with Arthur in broad daylight…Merlin practically shivered. However, when met with Arthur’s very hopeful expression, he had to tease.

“Hmm.” Merlin cast his eyes to the side, pretending to give the matter serious consideration. “That’s a good start. Though this would ignore all the hard work I just put into dressing you. Also, I imagine you’d like breakfast first.”

“All right, I would in fact like breakfast first. But after that, I’m locking the door and I’m never letting you go.”

“Never letting me go, eh? I’d like that in writing. You know you have tried to sack me on four sperate occasions?”

“Well, you are the world’s worst servant.”

“Maybe so, but I am also the world’s most handsome servant.”

“Keep being cheeky and I won’t let you share breakfast with me.”

“Yes, you will.”

“Perhaps.” Arthur sighed, brushing a strand of hair off Merlin’s forehead then lingering to graze his fingertips down the side of his face. “Go on then, go down to the kitchens. But do hurry back.”

“Kiss me first.”

“You cannot give orders to your prince, Merlin.”

“I humbly request that you please kiss me, your highness.”

“Request granted.” Arthur pulled Merlin in for a quick and dirty kiss before pushing him away, sending him off with a swat to the bottom. Merlin feigned being scandalized and Arthur laughed.

“You’re lucky I like you,” Merlin said as he started for the door, only looking back to admire how frazzled Arthur looked, kept wanting and waiting.

Arthur let out a soft laugh, looking down at the ground in a moment of shyness.

“Trust me,” he said. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact, I have not even attempted to write Merlin fic since probably 2015 and I have never ever posted any of it so...welcome to my Merlin debut I guess? Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> If you want to like or share the og ficlet on tumblr, you may do so [here](http://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/post/183900190105/if-ur-still-taking-prompts-158-merthur-ddd), and/or follow me so you can check out the next time I am accepting and posting prompts!


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